1. The Technical Field
The present invention relates to battery connectors, and more particularly, to a device for safeguarding the battery and circuits against overloads. Further, the present invention relates to a safety battery connector for use on boats and for batteries used in the vicinity of water.
2. The Prior Art
Prior art devices are known for connecting a battery, such as a car battery or a boat battery, to an electrically driven device. Such devices usually include cables which are clamped or otherwise attached to one of the two posts of a battery. A problem with such cables is the possibility that the driven device will short out or become grounded, thereby draining the battery or causing a fire. Prior art attempts at solving or avoiding this problem including the interposition of a fuse element at some point in the cable attached to the battery, so that an overload will burn out the fuse and electrically isolate the battery on the driven device.
The use of fuses which burn out is not altogether satisfactory, since replacement of a fuse requires both time and effort in replacement, as well as requiring the ready availability of a suitable replacement fuse. On boats, for example, burning out of a fuse can be a very serious problem when no replacement fuse is available. In such instances, an attempt may be made to bypass the fuse by attaching an electrical conductor around the fuse, or by replacing the fuse itself with a conductor such as a penny or other coin. This however does not solve the problem of the cause of the burning-out of a fuse in the first place, and it is possible that the battery will be drained, or a fire will be started, due to the overload which was originally present and which originally caused the burning-out of the fuse.
Furthermore, where cables are used for connection of an electrical device electrically to a battery terminal, movement of such wires relative to the battery may cause fraying of the cable, and the potential for a short-circuit of the frayed cable. On a boat, the potential for such fraying is significant, since rocking and other movements of the boat, as well as the spray and washing of water near the battery, would facilitate short circuits wherever a frayed cable portion exists. Additionally, insulation covering a cable may be worn or eaten away by the presence of salt water, or by rot caused by the presence of water over an extended period of time.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,802 to Jordan et al a battery connector is shown including a fuse and a means for completing the circuit despite burning-out of the fuse. In this patent, a connector is adapted to be fixedly connected to a terminal of a battery. A plate is fixedly connected to the terminal connector, and supports a second terminal adapted to be connected to a circuit for driving an electrical device. On the plate is disposed a fuse as well as a bypass cable. When the fuse burns out, it is removed from the circuit, and a movable end of the bypass cable is insertible into a mount previously supporting the fuse end which is adjacent the second post.
A problem with the prior art battery connectors is that the fuses can burn out, and are not re-settable. As discussed above, another problem is that cables connected to a battery post or terminal are susceptible to fraying, corrosion, and rotting, and therefore are susceptible to short circuiting, as well as being susceptible to overloading the battery and therefore draining the battery.